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Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

Other people:
1) They tend to invite themselves over for a swim in your pool a lot.
2) They expect you to provide all ancillary items- sunscreen, towels, floaties and are offended if you don't offer them.
3) They expect you to watch their kids (who can't swim) for them.
4) They expect you to provide snacks (if early) or a full out barbecue (if it's late afternoon).
5) Family can be the worst offenders.
6) People you haven't heard from in years also show up and think it's perfectly OK to bring THEIR friends, too (most of whom you would rather not be at your house).
7) They want to offer "pool advice" even tho they don't know what they're talking about.
8) They usually bring their brat kids who scream, holler, and fight the whole time.
9) They ask all the time "so when's the pool going to be ready", and you don't want to tell them that it's already ready.
10) They think it's perfectly fine to leave your pool area trashed when they leave because you'll be there to clean up after them.
11) They complain that the water's too hot or too cold (nevermind that they invited themselves)
12) They don't go home when you're ready for them to go home.

13) They WILL pee in your pool.

14) They will apply a whole bottle of sunscreen and then immediately jump into the pool and it will take a week to clear up the water and the film around the edge.

Kids:
1) They KNOW when you're trying to sneak out early AM or late PM for that nice, quiet, relaxing dip in the pool and demand to get in with you even though they've spent all day in the pool.

2) Think it's never time to get out of the pool.

3) Would sleep in the pool if you'd let them.

4) Like to eat in the pool.

5) Think it's cool to act like a dolfin and eat what food they have in the water.

6) Cannot understand why we don't want them to run around the pool.

7) Think sunscreen is just another way for us grown-ups to make them wait.

Excuses to tell self-invitees "no":

1) Someone crapped in the pool and it's "not ready yet"

2) Algae bloom

3) We're treating some sort of fungus problem.

4) We just shocked the pool and the chlorine will burn your eyes out.

5) Snake problem.

Things to never tell people:

1) Oh come by and swim anytime- believe me, they WILL.

2) We're going out of town.

Things to do:

1) Maintain your pool well.

2) Understand that all of the above is inevitable and just be a good host and enjoy the memories.

Re: Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

This gave me a much needed chuckle! Thanks so much!!!

When I read stuff like this I realize, and am thankful, that we are very fortunate that we have respectful neighbors, family, and friends and haven't had a lot of the typical issues many pool owners deal with. They always call first and we've said 'no' sometimes in order to maintain our boundaries.

I definitely believe a strict BYOB policy is necessary. I usually have popsicles and basic chips, fruit, on hand for kids, but they are cheap and not unlimited. Pizza rolls are another staple...

I have an only child so truly, I love it when the neighbor girl comes over as they are very close and gives me a chance to read in the chair or float on a raft...

There's a fine line between wanting to share what we maintain because, well, it's there, and may as well get used, and never having a moment's peace to pour oil on yourself and let it all hang out ...lol!

Re: Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

Great thread.

Thing I tell guests:

1) All the towels are still dirty from the last time you came.
2) Watch your little ones!
3) Younger kids must pass the swim test or they will stay in the shallow end.
4) Don't touch the heater.
5) BYOB,F and S. I can't feed the world. F=Food S=Soda If I have to say what B is, theres something wrong.
6) Call FIRST. I may need ice.
7) Help clean up.
8) Watch your cups. Kids are notorious for forgetting who's cup is who's. Markers help some. Alas, they get lost too.
9) Others can help at the grills. Sometimes, I want to chill too.
10) Don't carry your cell phone near the pool.
11) My wife and I tend to crash out about 10. Please don't over stay. I expect that will change some now that my daughters are in their teens and old enough to stay up late, as teens do. As long as the music isn't too loud...(remember those days?)

Things I have done:

1) Bought a dozen towels for out of town guests.
2) There are 3 grills
3) There are 4 coolers.
4) There are 3 tables. Kids have their own table. At large events, kids, men and women. It just happens. There are also a couple large, built in benches.
5) Tiki torches and a bug zapper. Tables get citronella candles
6) Taken car keys from those too drunk. I'm not shy about this one. I like my friends and want them around a long time.
7) Grounded a misbehaving kid with bench time for unsafe acts. I don't care if they aren't mine. I never had a parent say boo about it either. I don't do lightly. It takes some to get me there. There hasn't been a repeat offender yet either.
8) Bought lots of floats, rafts, blow up kiddie pools, and noodles. I stay away from the super soakers. My wife get mad at me when I shoot her. The dogs love them though.

Scott

Owner of - PoolGuyNJ LLC
Expert Pool and Spa Repairs, Renovations, and Augmentation. Helping people decide what is the right gear for meeting their needs. Expectations Set, Expectations Met, No Surprises.

Re: Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

This really hit home with me. Last year we moved in, in June to our new home with a pool. We immediately started learning ALL of these lessons. The biggest problem is with the neighborhood kids.

Kids that normally never give my kids the time of day were texting them, calling them, ringing the door bell etc. Kids I have never seen before showed up at the front door with suits on and towels around their necks. They did everything to weasel their way into the pool. Unfortunately we have a house rule that all swimming dates have to be prearranged, no walk'ins welcome.

Hasn't stopped our kids from trying to put us on the spot sometimes but the rule is, "if you ask us in front of your friends, the answer is NO!" Again, you are more than welcome to have friends over but only if pre-arranged.

Funny how a pool is supposed to be different. Kids don't show up and ask if they can sit in your bathtub, nor do they show up to see if they can play in your back yard. Just because you have a pool doesn't mean you are a summer long host and/or victim.

Re: Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

Really great list. I have enjoyed reading all of the posts. We are very fortunate that we have respectful neighbors (many of which also have pools) so that hasn't been a problem. We do have some family that enjoy coming over, but they always bring food for everyone. One advantage that I found is that you never really have any problem finding someone to house-sit when you go on holiday. We found a nice couple with five kids. We give them free range of the pool when on holiday and have never returned to any problems.

Re: Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

In process of getting our pool in and this list already has me scared lol
Keep bringing on those suggestions for getting out of people coming over.
I have in-laws that all have bratty kids that I'm sure can't wait to come over and pee in the pool

Re: Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

LOL PoolguyNJ- love the one "the towels are still dirty since the last time you were here".

We're actually pretty lucky with the neighbor thing since the ones on each side of us both have a pool. That first year of pool ownership is the hardest- friends and family testing boundaries and such. Luckily for us, the "new" has worn off and we enjoy having lots of company. The thing that still gets me is the sunscreen- people tend to slather a heavy coat and don't want to wait till it's absorbed before they jump in the pool- then the rest of the week we're clearing up cloudy water and a grease ring around the surface. Oh well- that's part of if tho- LOL.

We do make parents watch their own children. If mom wants to lay out by the pool, her kids HAVE to know how to swim.

Re: Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

We have used the excuse "someone's kid crapped the pool and it's not ready yet" to turn away a self-invitee.

Last year we were away for a week and I let my brother in law house sit. He'd hosted several pool parties and when we got back, the water was milky cloudy and we found a bellybutton ring at the bottom of the deep end- true story- LOL.

Re: Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

Oh- and for a cool night swim party treat- especially if your pH is a little high (when reacting with water it produces some carbonic acid), get some dry ice, punch a few holes in the bag and put some hot water in it and toss it in the pool- way cool smoke effect. Just make sure ventillation is good (don't want anyone asphyxiating on CO2.) Also tell people don't touch the bag (dry ice can freezeburn you if you hold on to it- just let it float around and blow out the smoke.

Re: Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

A cool pool snack- we often get one of those big bags of frozen fruit chunks and dump it all in a big plastic bowl and put it on the table by the pool. As it thaws out, it makes a great treat!!!

Of course some of it will end up in the pool and the pool deck- we just hose it off of the deck area before the ants think there's a picnic, and regular pool maintenance takes care of what ends up in the pool uneaten by the "dolfins".

Re: Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

I am so glad JMarch mentioned no glass by the pool. I am petrified of broken glass getting in my pool. How on earth can you clean it up? I will likely tear the liner in my above ground pool. I also agree with no electronics by the pool. One time I had one nitwit sending a text right on the edge of the pool and someone pushed her in! Sorry, but that is not my fault. Ipods, cameras, etc are dangerous right at the edge of the pool.

I always have extra towels on hand, they always go on sale cheap in the fall and I snap up a bunch. That doesn't bother me at all. Most good friends always bring plenty of snacks for themselves and the kids, so luckily I don't have a big problem with that.

Re: Here's what I wish I knew before owning a pool!

first year and love all of it- no such thing as rude- once the boundaries are defined....remember it is rude in japan to show the soles of your shoes- so, simply "let your yea be yea and your nea be nea" and roll with the fun times.